The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-12-02
Friday. Dec. 2, 1852.
The Road Question .

Our present road law has been
abandoned we believe by friends
and foes, with none to say good
word for it, It's great fault is ''too
much machinery" In theory and
on paper it looks like a first class
law; and before submitting the bill
to the legislature, the opinion of the
most discreet men in the county was
sought, who after examining the bill
thought it would make good law.
In practice it has proven to be full
of radical defects. 1t offers oppor.
tunities for officers who are entrust-
ed with its execution to make ex-
travagant bills, and the grip of the
county commissioners on those who
are trusted with carrying out the de
tails is too feeble to properly con
troll them.
We think it will be evident to ev.
cry one who can take in the entire
field of vision, that our board of
county commissioners, as at present
constituted, is quite unable to prop
erly look after the management of
the public roads Of this county. We
believe that every obser, ing man
must reach this conclusion on ma
ture reflection, and any road law
based on this assumption will prove
an utter failure and wasteful ex-
pense to the taxpayers. The gifts
ofoffice in the hands of the county
commissioners have been q source Of
decentralization to our local politics
always. We must get large por-
ton of this patronage out of their
hands, and by SO doing increase
their efficiency as executives of
county government.
The more we consider the plan of
placing the roads under local man.
agement and local taxation, the
more firmly we are convinced of the
efficiency and economy of such a
reform. We believe that after the
change had been inaugurated, that
the saving would reduce the road
tax to one half of what it has been
and what it will continue to be, with
q steady increase, under the present
inefficient system, OF any other sys-
tenn which retains the elements Of
the radical faults which are and have
been, inherent to all the road mend
ing and making methods that have
been in vogue in the county since
its organization.
If the county was divided up into
districts about like the public school
districts--they would probably an.
swcr with slight alterations in some
parts-glving each district a length
of road proportioned equally to its
basis of taxation, thus insuring
equality in this respect among tax.
payers. Delegate the taxables of
each road district the power to elect
their own supervisors of roads, and
the assessor and collector oftax nee
cssary to pay for the work from the
property holders in the district.
This would place responsibility of
those entrusted with the work, and
the wherewithal to pay for it right
at home, and insure both economy
and thorough work. We contend
that twenty five percent of the roads
in the county are unnecessary to the
service and would be speedily closed
up under a district system, while
the roads remaining open would, by
being kept in good order at all sea
sons, afford far better accommoda-
tions than much greater extent of
road in poor condition. While the
revenue to keep all roads in the
poor condition they are ever in is
drawn from one general fund no use
less roads will be closed, and appli-
cations will be constantly made to
the county commissioners to have
new roads opened If every small
district had to open and pay for
keeping them in repair, there would
be no useless roads opened.
This road responsibility which
we have traced out, taken out of the
county commissioner hands there
would remain under their charge in
the way of roads and bridges. the
duty of making and keeping in thor.
ough repair less than 100 miles of
road in the county which should con-
sist of main thoroughfares described
in former articles, which would in
sure the general travelling public
convenient and we'll kept roads lead.
ing to every public centre in the
county.
That our present road law has
"gone to pot we believe is agreed
on all hands, and that something
else will have to be substituted, is
the general feeling on this important
subject.
We suggest. in order to gel mat.
ters in shape, that during court
which commences on the 18th of
December, that a convention, or
public meeting rather, be called to